Mamiya Universal

Steve Smith · Jul 24, 2016

Today I acquired a Mamiya Universal Press camera with 127mm lens, 6x9 and 6x7 roll film backs, a Polaroid back and a ground glass viewer/cut film holder. I thought the added bonus was the Billingham bag it came in, but hiding in the bag was the real bonus - a Pentax spot meter!

It all looks in great condition. It looks as if it hasn't ever been used.

It has spent the last forty years in my mum's, neighbour's loft. He was storing it for a friend but has now sold the house and needs to clear it. He hasn't seen this friend since 1979 and doesn't even know if he is still alive, but with this in mind, I have the camera on long term loan - just in case he turns up and wants it back!

The big surprise was the shutter. I was expecting the worst but it works perfectly. I have no idea how.

Now to try it with film...

Steve.

mgb74 · Jul 24, 2016

Don't get your hopes up. He might come back from the dead for this.

Seriously, looks in great shape. And a pleasant surprise that the shutter is still working well after all those years without exercise.

Steve Smith · Jul 24, 2016

I think the canvas of the Billingham bag has protected it a bit. Plus all of the components were individually wrapped in polythene bags.

Steve.

Paul Howell · Jul 24, 2016

I have owned a Universal for 35 years, bought it used, then bought a second body. My Universal have a 100 as normal, the 127 as I recall was the normal for the Polaroid model, what bright lines do you have in your viewfinder, my comes with a built in finder for 100 150 and 250, for the 2 wides 55 and 65 need an external viewfinder.

vdonovan · Jul 24, 2016

That's one of the few fully manual cameras that will give you a full-frame image on Polaroid (of Fuji) pack film. It is really fun to shoot instant film with that camera - I had one and probably shot over a thousand Polaroid portraits with it. Sadly Fuji's instant film was discontinued and is in short supply these days. Several other vendors are said to be working on reviving the film, so hopefully you'll get to run some through your camera someday.

Paul Howell · Jul 24, 2016

In the US it was marketed as the Polaroid 600.

gordrob · Jul 24, 2016

You will enjoy using this camera. I have both the Universal and the Super 23. I have a 6x7 back that I never use as I like the 6x9 format. The lenses for this camera give you a good options depending on what you are interested in shooting. My favorites are the 50mm, 100mm f2.8 and the 250mm f5 with three 6x9 backs. Lots of good times ahead for you with that camera

darkroommike · Jul 24, 2016

Paul Howell said:
In the US it was marketed as the Polaroid 600.

Nope, the Polaroid 600 was made by Mamiya but nothing from the Press 23 and Universal fit the Polaroid 600 or vice versa unless you own a machine shop. Lens mount is different and the back fitting is different. IMHO the Universal is the much more versatile machine. With the right bits it can use the Mamiya press backs including the multi format K back, with another adapter it uses G backs including the Speed Graphic R10 and the Mamiya 6x7 backs from the RB, with another adapter it will use the Polaroid P back.

Steve Smith · Jul 25, 2016

Paul Howell said:
what bright lines do you have in your viewfinder, my comes with a built in finder for 100 150 and 250, for the 2 wides 55 and 65 need an external viewfinder.

This one is the same as yours. I also have the clip on front mask for the 127mm lens.

Steve.

Trask · Jul 25, 2016

vdonovan said:
That's one of the few fully manual cameras that will give you a full-frame image on Polaroid (of Fuji) pack film. It is really fun to shoot instant film with that camera - I had one and probably shot over a thousand Polaroid portraits with it. Sadly Fuji's instant film was discontinued and is in short supply these days. Several other vendors are said to be working on reviving the film, so hopefully you'll get to run some through your camera someday.

I've read that you can only get full-frame Polaroid without vignetting IF you use specific lenses -- other Mamiya lenses will vignette. At least, that's what I've read recently. I was looking into the Universal vs. 600 issue because I've got some 665 film I want to shoot someday. I've got a Polaroid 180, but for fun was considering looking at Mamiya. But that is another diversion down another path into a new system...

Steve Smith · Jul 25, 2016

Although I bought a Polaroid Pro Pack a couple of years ago for next to nothing, I haven't really thought about using pack film. Now I have the Mamiya with a Polaroid back, I might give it a go.

Steve.

Dali · Jul 25, 2016

Wow, great catch! As the camera is fully manual, high chance it will last forever...

frank · Jul 25, 2016

Darkroomike is correct about the difference between the polaroid 600 and the mamia press cameras.

jmlynek · Jul 25, 2016

I'm looking for a 75mm P lens for my Mamiya Universal. Anyone out there?

vdonovan · Jul 25, 2016

Trask said:
I've read that you can only get full-frame Polaroid without vignetting IF you use specific lenses -- other Mamiya lenses will vignette. At least, that's what I've read recently. I was looking into the Universal vs. 600 issue because I've got some 665 film I want to shoot someday. I've got a Polaroid 180, but for fun was considering looking at Mamiya. But that is another diversion down another path into a new system...

From the Mamiya Universal Manual: "The 75mm and 127mm focal length lenses are designed to cover the entire picture area of the Polaroid film pack (3¼x 4¼ ) inch format). However, since other ordinary Mamiya Press lenses are designed for the 6 x 9 cm format, if these lenses are used with the Polaroid film pack, the four corners of the format may be slightly darkened". I've only used the 127.

http://www.mamiyaleaf.com/assets/files/documentation/Univeral_and_Accessories.pdf

xya · Jul 25, 2016

except the 250mm F8 I do have all of the lenses. as mentioned above the 75mm and the 127mm were designed to cover full polaroid format. so does the 150mm. the 65mm does not cover it, as well as the 100mm F2.8. I have 3 100mm F3.5 that cover polaroid format, but there are people who tell the opposite. my 250mm F5 covers the polaroid format as well. for the 50mm: there is no vignetting, but the typical ultra wide effect: the corners are darker than the center.

Steve Smith · Aug 2, 2016

I have since discovered that what I suspected was true. This camera appears to have never been used. It turns out that my mum's neighbour picked it up for a friend who had just bought it new, and kept it for him to pick up... except that he never did!

Steve.

Paul Howell · Aug 2, 2016

That's a story, any idea why he never bothered to pick up an expensive kit?

Steve Smith · Aug 3, 2016

Paul Howell said:
That's a story, any idea why he never bothered to pick up an expensive kit?

No idea. There was also an expensive, large astronomical telescope in his loft which was also supposed to be a collect and pick up later job. This has now gone to someone else on long term loan on the same understanding as 'my' Mamiya. i.e. in the unlikely event of the owner remembering the item, knowing who had it and where to find him, it will go back to its original owner... if he wants it.

As my mum's neighbour has sold his house and is now living in Antigua, I think that's highly unlikely!

Steve.

Neil Poulsen · Aug 9, 2016

I have a Universal outfit, and it's a well designed camera . . .

> It has parallax corrected, frame lines for those lenses that need it: 100mm, 150mm, and 250mm f5. The 75mm, 65mm and 50mm have viewers, which works fine. There's so little difference between what the film sees versus what the viewer sees for these focal lengths. For that matter, there's a correction for parallax on the viewers.

> Being a range finder, more spontaneous photos becomes one of this camera's strengths. But, put a ground glass on it with either the right angle or straight viewer, and one can see and focus exactly what the film sees. So, it can be used for fine art photos that can demand careful composition. I see this as an excellent camera for vacations.

> The film backs for this camera are known to hold the film very flat. With the "G" ground glass viewer, one can also use Graflex backs, which can be used on other cameras.

> The 50mm lens gives super-wide, sharp optics for 6x9. Put this lens together with the Universal (flat) film backs, and one really has something.

> For me, the interchangeable backs that this system offers is essential for the type of photography that I like.

mshchem · Aug 10, 2016

I had one, not as nice as yours. Fabulous big 6x9 negs. Back in the 80's I took a bunch of 6x9 Ektachrome transparencies with this great camera. Lots of weddings shot with these.
Best Regards Mike

Steve Smith · Aug 15, 2016

This weekend, from the same neighbour, I received a set of yellow, orange and red Minolta branded filters and an adaptor to use M42 lenses on a Minolta camera - which he obviously owned once.

The filters have the standard 55m thread common to Minolta - which also happens to be the same thread as the 127mm lens on the Mamiya!

Steve.

Paul Howell · Aug 15, 2016

55 is standard for the 100 as well, for the 150 I use SVI push on, Mamiya does not recommend a lens hood the wide angles and I recall the odd size for filters.

blockend · Aug 15, 2016

Lovely camera, but heavy as sin. I shot lots of 6 x 9 colour neg on one in the 90s.

Mamiya Universal

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency